No less than 180 delegates across Mountain Province and Kalinga gathered on August 21 at Teng-ab Retreat House, in Bontoc for a learning and unity building conference. The conference sought to contribute towards intertribal unity and peace in Mountain Province and Kalinga by creating greater awareness on why conflicts arise and the traditional mechanisms, primarily the bodong, may be utilized and innovated to suit the changing conditions. Participants came from binodngan areas of Kalinga, Mountain Province as well as peace allies from the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, the provincial local government of Mountain Province and Kalinga as well as various women groups.

The conference is a collaborative effort between the Montanyosa Alliance for Inter-tribal Unity and Development (MAITUD), provincial government of Mountain Province with the leadership of its governor, Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr and Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative Tomas Tawagen, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Cordillera Women Education Action Research Center.

​Delegates agree that tribal wars and inter-tribal conflicts continue to erupt in the Montañosa and Kalinga provinces. These conflicts bring chaos, loss of life, heightened hardship, and disruption to tribes and local communities. The bodong (peace pact) in its current state is no longer enough to end and prevent tribal wars. War is not the solution to disagreements between tribes and villages; even if lives continue to be lost and blood continues to spill, the underlying problems remain unresolved.

​Peace, harmony, and genuine progress is desired by all, especially the economically disadvantaged. Thus, all Tribes are urged to continually seek dialogue and address the root causes of the problem. These are the overarching content of messages from Ret. Rev. Joe Requino, IPMR for Mtn. Province Tomas Tawagen, Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan Jr of Mtn. Province, and his Board Members Jowee Dominguez and Sally Ullalim as well as Atty. Chris Donaal, Board Member of Kalinga.

​Key Points Agreed on in the Conference

​Resolve the Root Causes through Democratic Means: Boundary disputes, resource conflicts, and crimes must be settled democratically and non-violently. Expose and call on the government to repeal laws and stop programs that aggravate and generate conflicts among tribes.

​Use Boundaries in Ancestral and Tribal History: Properly analyze the history of boundary and resource conflicts. Base boundaries on traditional/tribal lines as contained in ancient agreements (pagta), rather than relying on government political boundaries. Document these historical agreements to serve as a guide for future generations.

​Go Beyond Ceasefires to the Full Bodong Process: Ceasefires alone are positive steps to initiate meetings between warring tribes, but they do not resolve the root problems. A ceasefire must be tied to resolving root causes through the proper bodong process—moving from the initial peace gesture (sipat/warang) with designated holders, to exchanges (allasiw, sunglip), until a pagta (laws/agreements) is established and armed conflict is settled. The affected tribes must decide the ceasefire and the entire bodong process. A ceasefire without ongoing dialogue serves no purpose.

​Unite Against Common Struggles: The people who suffer from poverty should not be fighting and killing each other. Let us unite to face our common problems of poverty and the violation of our collective rights. Binodngan (peace-pact bound) communities within democratic sectors must support and stand with one another.

​Defend Land, Life, and Honor: As embodied in the pagta regarding land, territory, life, property, and honor, build broad unity among binodngan (and non-binodngan) tribes for the collective goal of self-determination and the protection of ancestral lands. The honor of tribes is lost if the land passed down through generations is grabbed and destroyed. Inter-tribal killing and spilled blood become meaningless if foreign and capitalist interests end up seizing ancestral lands and resources.

​Respect the Sacredness and Scope of the Pagta: The pagta is sacred—it represents the life and law of the bodong, a life-and-death agreement between opposing tribes. It covers issues between the two tribes and provides solutions to their conflicts, within the capacity of peace pact holders to uphold.

​Clarifying the Scope of Bodong & Insurgency

​Exclude Armed Conflict/Insurgency from the Bodong: The insurgency is a matter between the government/armed forces (AFP, PNP) and revolutionary forces (CPP-NPA-NDF). It is not caused by tribal wars, nor is it limited to specific tribes—it spans the entire country. Involving the insurgency within bodong agreements will not stop tribal wars and will only exacerbate them, bringing immense hardship to binodngan civilians.

​Stop Red-Tagging and Unilateral Declarations: Red-tagging and declaring activist organizations as persona non grata has no place in the pagta or bodong process. Many binodngan members belong to progressive activist organizations that advocate for land, life, and honor. Activism must not be mixed with tribal law.

​Uphold Genuine Consultation and Self-Determination: Leaders and negotiators (mansakusak) must discuss the pagta and present it in community consultations before finalizing it. No unconsulted terms should be inserted, nor should any unapproved pagta be signed. Tribal honor rests on self-determination, fairness, and mutual respect. Outside forces must not dictate the contents of a pagta.

​Principles for Adapting and Modernizing the Bodong

​Build High-Level Inter-Tribal Unity: Strengthen unity across tribes to address broader community concerns regarding land, life, and resources.

​Reject Violence: Reject violent or bloody methods in resolving disputes among tribes and within communities.

​Exclude Government and Revolutionary Armed Forces: Clashes between the AFP, PNP, CAFGU, and NPA result in binodngan casualties, but these should not lead to breaking the bodong or triggering tribal wars, The delegates are hopeful that the lessons from the conference shall serve them in their respective tribes. There is much to be done since even the traditional tribal war rules and the peace process vary in each province. But the greater challenge is how mainstream legalities influence the direction of war and peace in binodngan areas.